Neil went directly to Dr. Lorraine Sutter. He found her in a conference room reviewing fifty days of failed diagnostics with reading glasses resting near the end of her nose. Neil told her about the young woman at the fence, Faith's theory, and the overlaid engine logs.
Dr. Sutter listened without interrupting. When Neil finished, she asked only one question.
"Where is she now?"
They met in a break room later that afternoon. Faith sat across from Dr. Sutter with a paper cup of water and Elton's old canvas tool roll on the table between them. Dr. Sutter skipped introductions and small talk.
"Tell me what's wrong with that aircraft."
Faith spoke for six minutes without notes or hesitation. She described the CA-90's crossfeed-valve system, the fuel-distribution architecture, the sensor-feedback loop, and the specific failure mode she believed could create a symmetrical shutdown after both engines had been operating together.
Her language was technical, precise, and disciplined. Dr. Sutter asked three follow-up questions designed to expose whether Faith truly understood the system or had simply memorized terminology. Faith answered all three immediately.
Dr. Sutter removed her glasses and cleaned them slowly with the edge of her blazer. Then she put them back on and studied Faith with an expression that was neither pity nor surprise.
It was professional recognition.
"I'd like to see you demonstrate it," she said.
The next morning, Hangar Three was full. Dr. Sutter used her authority as independent evaluator to authorize what she called a diagnostic demonstration. She invited Preston, Todd, the entire engineering team, and senior mechanics, and she did not object when Colleen Archer entered with a recorder.
Preston saw Faith standing near the open engine nacelle and his face darkened.
"Lorraine, you can't be serious," he said. "You're staking your professional reputation on a street kid?"
Dr. Sutter did not look at him. "I'm staking my reputation on evidence, Preston. Something your team hasn't produced in fifty days."
Todd tried to stop the demonstration. He cited safety protocols, security clearances, liability concerns, insurance restrictions, and every procedural barrier he could think of. Dr. Sutter let him finish.
Then she said calmly, "As independent evaluator appointed by your CEO, I have full authority to approve diagnostic personnel. This demonstration will proceed. If you'd like to object, put it in writing after we're finished."
Todd opened his mouth, closed it, and stepped back.
Faith stood in front of the open nacelle. Preston watched with his arms crossed. Todd remained against the far wall, Colleen's recorder was running, Dr. Sutter stood beside the diagnostic console, and Neil waited near the controls.
Faith unrolled Elton's canvas tool kit on a clean cloth. The tools were old and worn. Several handles had been repaired with tape, and the collection looked out of place beside a $100 million aircraft.
She looked at Neil. "Start the engines."
Neil glanced at Dr. Sutter. She nodded once.